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Due to low ridership, the IndyGo Commuter Express route from Greenwood to downtown Indianapolis will end Dec. 1.

IndyGo officials announced the termination of the service at yesterday’s Greenwood City Council meeting. The route was averaging just 32 riders per day and had cost $40,000 more than it has collected in fares, Associated Press reported.

A federal grant funds 80 percent of the cost to operate the IndyGo express routes from Greenwood, as well as from Carmel and Fishers, while the municipalities are responsible for the remaining amount.

The routes from Carmel and Fishers have attracted enough riders to spare the cities from contributing additional funds, IndyGo said. But in Greenwood’s case, passenger revenue has been too low to cover Greenwood’s portion of the grant match.

The commuter express routes were designed to last about three years, or until funding is exhausted.

The Greenwood route was launched in March, during a time when gas prices were much cheaper than they were when bus service began from Carmel and Fishers, which likely contributed to low interest in the route, IndyGo said.

Also, the initial plan to have the route run along the U.S. 31 corridor failed when IndyGo was unable to secure a parking agreement in the area to accommodate passengers. In addition, the U.S. 31 corridor already has an IndyGo bus route servicing it, forcing the commuter express to start instead from an alternative location on State Road 135.

Officials from IndyGo and Greenwood said they will continue to explore options for commuters in the event further funding opportunities become available.